Putting the Pieces Back Together
by ajangel912
Summary: Carter after The Greatest of Gifts. What happens after he leaves?


Author: ajangel

E-mail: ajangel@cfl.rr.com

Rating: PG-13

Archive: Ask first

Summary: Carter after The Greatest of Gifts. What happened after he left?

Author's Notes: This is my first EVER attempt at a fic, so be kind, but I would love feedback. Spoilers throughout The Greatest of Gifts. Please read and review. Tell me if I should write again.  
  
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Abby watched as Carter massaged his face with his hand. He looked so tired. He'd stayed up too long today and thought he could handle it. He wouldn't have believed otherwise until he took the pills. She was debating asking him to share, especially after what happened today, but she wasn't sure he could make it all the way to the podium. As she studied his face, the burley man at the podium started screaming an awful rage. Snapping back to reality, she realized that he had exposed a bomb strapped under his shirt and was yelling about how we all betrayed him. Matt, our group leader tried explaining that we were all here for him, but his persistent rage only grew fiercer. Afraid to move all Abby could do was stare. Once it became apparent that the man was not going to calm down, some of the people in the back of the room began trying to sneak out, unnoticed. It was then that he began running towards the door in an effort to stop them. As he brushed past Carter, he turned to Abby.  
  
"It was you," he said in full of vengeance. "I asked you to be my sponsor."  
  
Abby felt as if her back was glued to the chair. She was frozen in terror that the man wielding a bomb was practically standing on top of her.  
  
"You said no. Who was it you turned me down for? Some druggie? You decided to help some druggie instead of me? Is this him?"  
  
He grabbed Carter by the shirt collar pulling him up to full height. Abby could see his hands begin to tremble as his breathing quickened in rate but shallowed in intake.  
  
"He's a piece or crap. He doesn't need help, not real help like I do. But you decided to help him instead of me. Maybe I shouldn't be that angry. Maybe you actually saved me. If you had been a good sponsor, he probably wouldn't be here right now, would he?"  
  
Abby's only defense mechanism was staring at her shoes. He was right. If she'd paid more attention earlier, maybe Carter wouldn't have taken the Vicodin. Maybe he wouldn't have nearly had a panic attack after he did take it.  
  
"Don't talk to much do ya'?" That's ok, 'cause once this bomb blows up, we won't really have a need for talking."  
  
With that, he threw Carter to at his feet and reached for the button.   
  
Quickly recuperating, Carter grabbed Abby's arm in attempt to further them from the crazy man. They were about seven feet from him, when the bomb exploded. Carter dove on top of Abby bringing his weight down on his left side in attempt not to squash her.  
  
After the smoke had cleared, he looked around. People were scattering trying to get away from the church. Carter then turned to Abby to find her unconscious. He stroked her hair and tried to call out her name, but his throat turned on him, only allowing a fit of coughing to be heard. With that, Abby's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Carter?" she said, disoriented.  
  
"Hey, Abby. Are you okay? What hurts? Don't try and get up, you may have a neck injury," he managed to croak out.  
  
"No, no. I'm fine. But you have a pretty deep lac on your forehead. It might need sutures. You want to look at the guy? I'll talk to the rest of the people."  
  
"Um, Abby, there's not much to look at."  
  
Carter was right. There were third degree burns over most of his body and he was missing an arm.  
  
"If you aren't going to wait for an ambulance, you should all go to a hospital to get checked out," Abby announced to the fleeing crowd. Standing up to see the damage, she got suddenly dizzy and had to slow down. "Carter, stand up slowly so you don't get dizzy."   
  
He did as he was told, but didn't manage to escape the vertigo he felt, or the wave of nausea. Closing his eyes, he continued to stand. "We should really go to the hospital and get looked at," he whispered.   
  
"Yeah, I think you're right. Do you want to wait for the ambulance, or take my car?"  
  
"I think we should just take the car. Do you feel up to driving? I would but I have blood in my eyes." He decided to leave out the possible broken wrist and the throbbing sensation in is head and back. He didn't want to worry Abby.  
  
"Sure, let's go. We can talk to the police at the hospital."   
  
The ride to the ER was short, but quiet. On Carter's part, because talking was too much of an effort. On Abby's part, she didn't want to disturb him. As they pulled up to the ambulance entrance, a look of panic crossed Carter's face.  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked, only to be greeted by silence. 


End file.
